May 21, 2025 Audit and Finance Standing Committee

Agenda

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1. CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – April 16, 2025

3. APPROVAL OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS

4. BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES

5. CALL FOR DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

6. MOTIONS OF RECONSIDERATION – NONE
7. MOTIONS OF RESCISSION – NONE
8. CONSIDERATION OF DEFERRED BUSINESS – NONE
9. NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS – NONE

10. CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS
10.1 Correspondence 
10.2 Petitions
10.3 Presentations – None

11. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

12. INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD - NONE

13. REPORTS
13.1 STAFF
13.1.1 Investment Activities – Quarter ending December 31, 2024 [PDF]
Motion:
That the Audit and Finance Standing Committee forward the staff report dated April 23, 2025 to Halifax Regional Council as an information item.

13.1.2 2025/26 Capital Budget Adjustments [PDF] 
Motion: 
That the Audit and Finance Standing Committee recommend that Halifax Regional Council approve:

1. The increase to four 2025/26 capital project budgets, as detailed in the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated April 14, 2025, for new contribution agreements awarded after budget approval with no net increase from HRM funding;

2. The transfer of funding between approved 2025/26 capital project budgets, as detailed in the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated April 14, 2025.

3. The budget increase to the HRFE - Sheet Harbour Fire Station project CB210018 and PR – Sheet Harbour Rec Centre (ESLC) project CB000080 to be funded by debt financing, as detailed in the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated April 14, 2025.

4. The amendment to the 2025/26 Multi-Year Capital Projects schedule, as per Attachment 1 to the staff report dated April 14, 2025.

13.1.3 Increase to Project No. CB210020 Halifax Common Pool Recon and Award RFP 2024-0662 Halifax Common Playground [PDF]
Motion: 
That the Audit and Finance Standing Committee recommend that Halifax Regional Council:

1.  Approve an unbudgeted transfer of $200,000 (net HST included) from CP200001 Park Recapitalization to CB210020 PR - Halifax Common Pool Recon. and,

2.    Award RFP 2024-0662, Halifax Commons Playground Request for Proposals (RFP), to the highest scoring proponent, Turf Masters Landscaping Ltd., for $1,042,339 (net HST included) with funding from CB210020 PR Halifax Common Pool Recon., as outlined in the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated March 14, 2025.

13.1.4 Halifax Transit Dual-Fuel (Diesel/Hydrogen) Bus Demonstration [PDF]
Motion:
That the Audit and Finance Standing Committee recommend Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the transfer of funds and budget increase between accounts as outlined in the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated April 22, 2025 and as follows:

a. Approve the transfer of $75,766 (net HST included) from Project Account CV210011-Electric Bus Procurement to CV210014- Transit Strategies/Studies; and

b. Approve an increase to the gross budget of project CV210014, with no impact to HRM’s net budget of $443,266 (net HST included) to support the dual-fuel (hydrogen/diesel) bus demonstration project.

13.1.5 One-time Withdrawal from the Options Reserve Q421 for Year 10 (2025/26) Funding for the Halifax Mobile Food Market [PDF]
Motion:
That the Audit and Finance Standing Committee recommend Halifax Regional Council approve a one-time, unbudgeted withdrawal from the Options Reserve Q421 to fund $175,700.00 for Year 10 (2025/26) of the Mobile Food Market (MFM), as approved by Halifax Regional Council on March 25, 2025 and outlined in the attached staff report dated May 4, 2025.

14. MOTIONS – NONE

15. IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE)
The Standing Committee may rise and go into a private In Camera session, in accordance with Section 19 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, for the purpose of dealing with the following:

15.1 In Camera (In Private) Minutes – April 16, 2025
Motion:
That the In Camera (In Private) minutes of April 16, 2025 be approved as circulated.

16. ADDED ITEMS

17. NOTICES OF MOTION

18. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – June 18, 2025

19. ADJOURNMENT

INFORMATION ITEMS

1.  Memorandum from the Legislative Assistant dated April 14, 2025 re: Requests for Presentation to Audit and Finance Standing Committee – None [PDF]
2. Memorandum from Chief Administrative Officer dated May 7, 2025 re: CAO Contract Amendment Reporting [PDF]

For further information regarding this meeting, please contact Dorothy Maponga, Legislative Assistant, at Dorothy.maponga@halifax.ca or 902-478-2408

To submit correspondence, email clerks@halifax.ca 
More information: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council/communicating-halifax-regional-council